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Winnipeg  Olesia Records releases Fragmenti by Paris To Kyiv, signaling the ensemble's most soul-baring work to date. The album, a universal sonic tapestry of ancient Ukrainian music and contemporary sounds, marks the first international release for Alexis Kochan and her collaborators.

Recorded in New York and Winnipeg, Fragmenti retains the signature Ukrainian folk poetry, prayers and song fragments but introduces electric, acoustic and classical elements, meditative grooves and overtone chanting. Neatly contrasting its title, Fragmenti is likely the most cohesive of all works from Paris To Kyiv.

For the past 10 years, Kochan has been re-birthing lost Ukrainian folk sounds with the help of two musicians--violist/guitarist/singer/songwriter and Fragmenti producer, Richard Moody, and bandurist and sopilka player, Julian Kytasty. These bards from different cultural worlds give Paris To Kyiv its unusual and distinct flavour.

Also partnering on this new work is overtone singing artist, Alan Schroeder who throws his vocal shadows onto many of the pieces. These are enriched by percussionists Christian Dugas and Rodrigo Munoz - who also contributes his Spanish guitar talents and vocals - and fretless bassist Paul Yee.

Kochan says of this new album, "For the first time in my work I feel that I've moved beyond the Ukrainian psyche to a universal one. All (songs) are comments on the human experience."

Paris To Kyiv recordings are distributed by SRI in Canada and available in Eastern and parts of Western Europe through Koka Records. They are also available from www.CDBaby.com and Olesia Records' own website, www.olesia.com.

A tour of Ontario, Quebec and Nunavut, with concerts in Toronto, Stratford, North Bay, Montreal, Gatineau, and Iqaluit, is planned for October, 2005.